Collected
by Sokkaweekly
Summary: Sokka would face the beast haunting his village, or die trying. Sokkla AU.
1. Collected

On a snow-capped mountain, several hundred feet up a jagged, treacherous path there was a hidden cave. The wind blew so hard that nothing could survive on the slopes for long, and it howled through the passageways - the noise near deafening.

But there was far worse than the rushing gales, the threat of frostbite from the bitter chill or even the potential drop to a rocky doom. It was said that inside the mountain something massive slumbered. A being of terrible power that no man could stand against and live.

People spoke only in whispers when they told the tale of the dragon.

Claws like swords, thousands of razor-point teeth, scales harder than any armour and flame-breath so hot that not even ash would remain.

Most people would regard going up against such a mighty beast as insane at best, suicide at worst. Sokka was not most people.

He stood before that cave, the shrieking in his ears and a burning torch to light his path. He'd forgone his wolf's head armour. It would only slow him down, and mobility would be vital.

In his right hand he held his black sword, a magnificent weapon. It had proved itself the better against cold steel, and Sokka had hopes of its worth against dragonscales. They were notoriously hard to pierce, but if anything could do it, it was Space Sword.

He nervously swung it from side to side, steeling himself. The meteorite sang as it scythed through the air. He glanced back down the broken path leading away from the cavern he'd travelled up. If he did this, there was no guarantee he'd return.

Was it better to die a hero than live a coward? Probably not. But there was more at stake than just his reputation - he'd heard dire tales.

Livestock were often the first casualties to a dragon, even creatures of unimaginable power had to eat. But at the same time as angry farmers gave reports of eaten sheep, rumours had circulated about missing people.

Though it was more than likely said persons had been barbecued, Sokka wasn't going to stand idly by and allow a man-eating monster free reign. What if it went after his sister next? He'd never live with himself.

Resolve firmed, he stepped forward into the gloom.

The tunnel into the mountain was smooth, any jagged edges worn away by the passing of time. The torch barely pierced the dim pall, but it was just enough to see by.

Occasionally he stepped on things that crunched beneath his feet. He chose not to look down and see what they were, just in case it upset him.

The tunnel weaved slightly, twisting here and there. Time lost all meaning in the murk of the mountain's heart. It was just him and the rock, endless steps into the darkness.

Eventually the passage widened into a huge room. In the middle of it stood a large hoard of glittering golden objects. Sokka couldn't believe his eyes as he stared at the massive pile. It was wealth beyond his imagination. Lords and kings would weep to behold it.

Greed overtook him for a moment. Abandoning his careful creeping, he strode confidently, surrounding himself in gilded coins and precious jewels. He picked up gem-studded chalices and candelabras. So caught up in the abundant richness was he that his very purpose had been forgotten.

That was when the fire rained upon him. Blue flames rushed through the air, landing before him. Hot air rose from the blaze, searing his unprotected skin. Space Sword clenched tightly in his fist, he whirled around to face the dragon.

Only to pause, staring in disbelief at the figure perched up on a throne.

"Didn't your parents ever teach you stealing was a crime?" The figure asked. The voice was cold, mocking and most of all - feminine.

This was not part of the plan. Was she a survivor of a kidnapping by the monster? One of the missing persons he'd heard about? What was she doing just hanging around for?

"Um. Hello? Miss, it's not safe to be here, there's a dragon in these parts. Uh, well, you know that already I guess. But still, you should leave before it comes back." Not the friendliest of starts, but he was rather shocked. Also she had shot fire at him, it appeared.

The girl didn't move, reclining in her throne with all the grace of a queen. Her golden eyes bored into him - there was something curiously unnerving about them.

A trickle of fear appeared in the back of his mind, instinct honed by years of hunting (and being hunted by) a variety of dangerous animals. This situation was definitely off, somehow.

She blinked long and slowly. The warning in his head intensified and then it clicked. She had slit pupils.

"Oh dear…" He mumbled, all of the pieces falling into place.

He barely had a moment to ready his sword before there was… movement. It was difficult to comprehend, but one moment there was a girl and the next there was just blue.

Brilliant azure scales shimmered in the flame's light. Sokka's torch had dropped to the ground and burnt out, but her warning shot still remained. He gulped, staring up past the wall of muscle into a snout, smoke pouring from her nostrils.

A serpentine smirk sat upon her lips, which peeled back to reveal rows of perfectly white and very pointed teeth. Space Sword slipped from his fingers as he collapsed to his knees.

It had been folly to think he could challenge a dragon. The mountain would be his tomb. His family would live in fear of this beast forever. He was a failure.

"What's the matter, has your spirit broken already? A pity." The words were loud and unbearably smug.

He snarled, rising to his feet. He was Sokka, son of Hakoda, and would not bow down and die! He swiftly snatched up his fallen blade, preparing himself for oblivion.

"Ah, there's fight in you yet. Good, I prefer to play with my food."

Sokka charged, screaming a war cry. The dragon regarded him for a moment, before slapping him aside with a tail flick. It was like being struck with a sledgehammer.

Sokka wheezed, clutching at his ribs. The beast flapped her wings idly, a puff of blue flame escaping her mouth.

"Come on, get up," she ordered.

Sokka staggered to his feet, freeing his boomerang from its sheath. He cocked back his arm and let loose, the steel blade whirring through the air. It struck the dragon on the snout, bouncing off her scaled ridges.

Undamaged though she was, she roared in anger at his arrogance that he'd dare strike her. Lashing her tail, she breathed a plume of fire. He hurriedly dived behind the treasure hoard.

The ground began to shake around him, coins falling from the pile and landing on top of his head. He glanced up to see the long neck of the dragon.

A hand enveloped him, claws as long as his forearm clutching around his waist. Though the beast was clearly capable of crushing or impaling his body, he was instead lifted through the air.

Great amber eyes peered at him from his perch in her palm.

"Speak, peasant. Do you have a name?" The dragon demanded.

Sokka blinked.

"Uh, yes? It's Sokka," was his rather confused reply. "Do you?"

The dragon snorted, a column of smoke escaping her.

"You have the honour of addressing Princess Azula."

"Princess? How can a dragon be a princess?" Sokka questioned.

He was lowered to the ground again, the huge bulk suddenly vanishing, replaced with a woman smaller than him.

"Neat trick," he offered.

Azula took no notice of his remark, returning to her throne. He stared around for a moment, before shrugging.

"Uh. Well, it was nice meeting you, I guess?" He floundered. How do you thank someone for not eating/incinerating/crushing you?

"Yes, I expect it was. But you're not going anywhere," the girl told him.

"I'm not?" That was news to him. He had every intention of getting the hell out of there, reputation be damned.

"I've decided to keep you," she glanced around the cavern. "Agni knows I could use the company. Gold doesn't talk."

"Most people prefer that I don't talk," he remarked, rather bewildered.

"I see. Well, you'll learn when to be quiet soon enough," with that ominous statement, she rose from her seat and beckoned to him. "Come."

Sokka glanced longingly at the entrance he had come in through. Maybe if he ran fast enough… the image of claws, teeth and flame ran through his mind. Sighing in defeat, he followed after Azula.

He'd known he might not return home but he didn't think it would be like this.


	2. Kept

It was always warm, at least. That was one of the benefits of being held captive by a dragon. Their bodies were living furnaces, but they were capable to generating fire at will should they choose. It proved useful when they shed their scaly form for something smaller.

Of course, this was only a perk due to the fact that they lived in a mountain peak, where snow was a regular occurrence. If they dwelled on the ground like normal people, it wouldn't even matter.

But that was dragons for you, no sense of real-world living. Admittedly, it was hardly easy for a gigantic, winged behemoth to live a normal life - most people object to their neighbours eating their livestock, stealing their valuables and setting fire to their houses.

The food was alright, if you liked half-burnt carcasses. As a carnivorous species, things like fruit and vegetables were generally considered the same as any other kind of plant produce to a dragon.

Your average dragon's preference varied depending on their age and location, but they generally took anything they found that was bigger than a large dog. Azula's favourite was mountain yaks, which lived on the side of her home. Thankfully, dragons didn't need to eat as much as their size would imply, so one would usually suffice for some time.

This was of course a problem for Sokka - though he was hardly vegetarian by nature, even he didn't mind the occasional foray into non-animal products. But it wasn't as if he could acquire some with ease. There were hardly any farmers selling wares on the slopes, and neither was there anywhere to grow his own.

Thankfully there were some hardy berries clinging onto the rocks not too far from the cave's entrance. Not many, true, (and they weren't especially tasty either), but it helped stave off scurvy at least.

Yet Sokka's main problem wasn't the temperature or the food. Instead, it was boredom. He found himself so often wondering what to do. Azula was asleep quite often, leaving him to his own devices.

He'd gone through her treasure horde several times, but there was only so much enjoyment a person could derive from glittery objects. He couldn't even spend any of it, after all. It just sat there, gathering dust.

He could have left, of course. With his draconic captor slumbering deep, the cave entrance was unguarded. It would be child's play to slip out to civilisation and freedom. The problem with this plan is that the consequences far outweighed the positives.

Azula was a rather benevolent host, for a ginormous reptilian monstrosity. She didn't ask much from him; only that he kept her company. Honestly, it was rather sad when he thought about it. They hadn't talked a great deal about her past, but he gathered it hadn't really been terribly pleasant.

But she'd made it quite clear that if she woke up and he'd made a run for it, when he eventually reached his village he would find her standing in the smoking ruins, waiting for him. It was quite a powerful threat, and dragons aren't known to make idle remarks.

So as it stood, he lived out his days in relative simplicity. He woke up on a pile of animal skins (there was a remarkably soft bed, but there were deep claw marks in the mattress, dragons not being renowned for their ability to hold stuff), ate a meal of some butchered beast and waited for Azula to wake up.

Thankfully she was aware of her intimidating stature, and usually went about her days in human shape for his sake. It was a touching gesture, really. The pair would talk about various subjects - Sokka was particularly interested in what exactly dragons were capable of.

When she leveled a nearby forest in demonstration, he decided it was best to keep his questions to a less destructive nature. His people were already on edge, they would hardly approve of random forest fires. Not that they'd be aware it was his fault, but it was the principle of the matter.

* * *

After three weeks of living in her cave, Sokka plucked up his courage and approached the draconic princess with a question.

"Azula?" He timidly began.

Said person was stretched out languidly on her throne. It was a personal favourite of hers to sit upon, and Sokka wasn't sure why. Perhaps it had some sentimental value, he would have to ask her about it one day.

Upon his approach she paused in her sinuous lounging, turning her golden gaze onto him. The slit pupils surveyed his body and her mouth curved into a smirk, pointed teeth just visible at the edges.

"Yes, peasant?" She purred contentedly.

It was rare for her to refer to him by name. She seemed to prefer to call him something that emphasised her stature over him. It was mildly annoying, but he dealt with it. It made the few times she would speak his true name, when the two were in an animated conversation or late at night when she would lean on him for comfort, all the sweeter.

"Do you think…" Sokka paused for a minute, swallowing. He licked his lips and continued. "Do you think I might be able to go home?"

She sat bolt upright, eyes narrowing. Her long black hair ran in midnight streams over her face as her gaze sharpened, glaring at him.

"What?" She hissed.

Sokka waved his arms hurriedly. Dragons would not often part with even a single piece of their hoard, and (for better or for worse) he had been collected by her.

"I don't mean, y'know, permanently. Just… It's been a while. I'd like to see my family, let them know I'm fine. They must be worried."

She continued to stare at him for a moment, before her face softened ever so slightly.

"Fine," she stated begrudgingly. "But I'm coming with you."

Sokka breathed out a sigh of relief, before freezing slightly at her declaration. That would make things much harder to explain.

But then again, it would make it much easier to get there - she could simply fly them down to the base of the mountain. Sokka chose to look on the bright side these days, for the sake of his own sanity.

"Great," he squeaked, barely managing to force the words out of his mouth. It would be worth it, to see his family again. And hopefully to enjoy a meal that wasn't just a seared dead animal.

Azula rose from her seat abruptly, walking over to him.

"Now?" She enquired.

For a moment Sokka stared at her blankly, until she rolled her eyes and snorted in impatience.

"Do you wish to leave now?" She asked again.

He shook his head slightly to clear it, squinting as memory returned.

"Uh, yeah. Lemme just grab my sword."

Azula had shown a great deal of interest in Space Sword - it was a rare and valuable artefact after all. Thankfully he'd been able to persuade her into letting him keep it.

He strapped the blade to his hip, the weight comforting and familiar. Grinning to himself, he nodded at the girl before him.

"I'm ready when you are."

She said nothing, but released her hold on her human transformation. Within moments Sokka was surrounded by coils of blue, scaled flesh.

Thankfully he'd gotten used to the change, but it still unnerved him slightly to see her true self - at least he thought it was her true self. Azula hadn't deigned to share with him her actual birth shape. Or even if she had been born at all.

Still, the mysteries of draconic existence would have to wait. He stared up at her shining form, unsure exactly how to proceed. Eventually he gripped onto a protruding ridge, managing to hoist himself up her gargantuan body like he was climbing a living mountain.

It took a few minutes to reach her back, and he managed to wedge himself between two of her spines. It wasn't the most comfortable seats, but he could hardly complain.

"Sokka the Dragonrider. Has a nice ring to it," he murmured, imagining himself charging into battle atop her back.

Azula snorted, the sound like a thunderclap. A great deal of smoke wafted from her mouth as she spoke.

"Do not think of me as a mount of yours like some common horse," she commanded. "You cannot imagine the privilege you've been gifted with at this moment."

'That's true enough,' he mused, shifting away from something digging into his spine. 'I really can't imagine it at all.'

And then she began to move forwards, her four legs impacting against the ground with small tremors left in her wake. Sokka wrapped his arms around the spine in front of him, hanging on for dear life.

And then things got worse. She bounded out of the cave and leapt off the mountainside, her wings flaring out of her sides and lifting her higher in the air.

It was quite probable that the view from dragonback was beautiful, the vista for miles around easily visible. Sokka wouldn't have known, as he was too busy trying not to die of fright, fall off or be violently sick all at the same time.

The steady beat of Azula's vast wings carried them from the mountain easily, traversing many miles in seconds. Her leviathan frame cast a huge shadow over the ground, almost blocking out the sun.

It seemed like no time at all until she began to descend lazily, simply gliding down until she touched down on a field somewhere. Thankfully there didn't seem to be anyone around, so Sokka didn't have to fear a mob with pitchforks and torches - not that either would do much good against a dragon.

Carefully he detached himself from her, sliding down her smooth hide and landing on his feet. She glanced around briefly before returning to her human state.

Looking at her small, pale and so very obviously female form, it almost made Sokka forget she had been a horned, firebreathing colossus only seconds ago.

The pair stood side-by-side for a moment, Sokka taking a moment to enjoy the feel of being outside, and of real grass under his feet. He could hear actual birds in the trees, and was surprised how much he had missed their song.

But his sense of nostalgia couldn't last. Azula sniffed disinterestedly, gazing around the area as though it was less than the mud on her shoes, (and that was another thing Sokka didn't understand - where did her clothes go while she was a dragon? The enigmas piled up.)

"Come, peasant. Where is your hovel located?" She questioned him.

Frowning at her insult to his home, he attempted to get his bearings. The area wasn't hugely familiar to him, but vague memories lead him to believe they had to travel slightly south-east.

"Um. That way, I think." He pointed casually.

She nodded once before walking off in the direction he'd indicated. Sokka watched her stride away (his gaze drifting down a bit a few times) before following after her.

It was a relatively pleasant walk through the trees. Birds and beasts fled their approach, but after weeks of stone and silence, the sound of leaves rustling in the wind and feel of branches snapping beneath his boots was more soothing than Sokka had imagined.

Eventually Azula broke the stillness.

"Your family. What are they like?" She demanded.

Sokka glanced at her in confusion before shrugging.

"Uh. Nice, I guess? I don't know. They're just my family. Why?" He said.

She didn't reply, but she frowned slightly, nibbling on her bottom lip. It was so unusual Sokka actually stopped where he was.

"Wait a minute… You're not worried, are you?" He asked incredulously.

She paused too, turning back to face him while her frown deepened into a scowl.

"No." She stated.

He laughed briefly.

"Oh man, you totally are! I can't believe that. It's like you're a girl meeting her boyfriend's parents for the first time." He grinned.

If her eyes narrowed any more, they'd be closed. Sokka noticed he was treading on dangerous territory and coughed slightly, waving a placating hand.

"Don't be like that. It'll be fine. I hope." He finished in a lower voice.

The rest of their journey was relatively uneventful, with Sokka occasionally pointing out things to Azula, who was still slightly miffed at his insinuations, but nonetheless humoured him.

* * *

It wasn't long until they reached the outskirts of Sokka's village. People bustled around as they always had, buying, selling and crafting all manner of goods. Nobody paid them any attention as they wandered through.

A few minutes later saw them at the door to his house. Sokka shifted from foot to foot for a second, before taking a deep breath.

"Well, here goes nothing."

He knocked loudly and waited. There was noise, and then the door swung open to reveal a young woman with brown skin and hair, her eyes red-rimmed as though she had been crying.

For a moment the two just stared at each other.

"S-Sokka?" She gasped in confusion.

He smiled timidly.

"Hey Katara…"

She yelled his name, darting forward and grabbing him around the chest, squeezing with all her might. He stumbled back slightly, but put his own arms around her.

"Where have you been? We thought you were dead!" Katara exclaimed, her voice muffled by Sokka's body.

"Um. Well, it's kind of a long story. Is Mom and Dad in?" He asked her.

His sibling detached herself and nodded, before catching sight of Azula, awkwardly lurking behind Sokka. She looked at her weirdly, but shook her head and beckoned them to come into the house.

It was fairly standard as homes go - made of wood, animal pelts here and there. Nothing fancy, but Sokka loved it all the same. Azula hadn't even been in so small a dwelling, but chose not to remark, neutrally taking in the scene.

Hakoda and Kya were seated at the table, talking in low voices. Sokka hadn't ever seen his father so haggard, his beard longer and with more grey hairs than he remembered. His mother was in an even worse state than Katara, fresh tears coating her cheeks.

The pair looked up as the trio entered, before freezing. Twin expressions of surprise and amazed delight appeared before they rose out of their chairs so fast that they flew backwards and hit the floor.

Before Sokka knew what was going on, he was in the middle of a group hug.

The reunited family encircled each other for several minutes, each eager to reassure themselves that the others were there. After a moment they broke away and just stood in silent wonder, no one quite sure what to say.

"Sokka, what happened? You just took off one day and no one ever saw you again. We thought you'd been injured or worse…" Hakoda began.

Sokka grimaced, licking his lips.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you worried. It's just… well, you know that dragon that's been sighted around?" He said.

Azula immediately straightened upon mention of her, gazing at him intently, but no one noticed.

"Sokka, you didn't. Not even you would be that reckless…" Kya breathed out in horror.

He gazed down in embarrassed guilt.

"I had to do something, you know?" He muttered.

Hakoda clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"That was a very foolish thing to do, Sokka. But you're here now, so let's not get worked up over past mistakes. Go on."

Sokka glanced sideways at Azula for a moment, before clearing his throat.

"Well, I climbed the mountain. And deep inside I found-"

"Me." Azula interrupted him.

Sokka's family focused on her. She was certainly an unusual person with her pale skin, golden eyes and obsidian hair.

"Uh, yeah. She was-" Sokka attempted to continue.

"Held captive by the dragon. Thankfully Sokka managed to slay it and rescue me. He was so brave, weren't you Sokka?" She stared at him meaningfully.

He blinked in confusion before nodding slightly, deciding to go along with whatever scheme she was planning.

"…Sure. It was no big deal, piece of cake." He coughed nervously. "This is Princess Azula."

The girl smiled, her sharp teeth carefully hidden behind her ruby lips.

"Pleasure to meet you. As a reward for his feat, I have decided to give Sokka my hand in marriage, so I imagine we will be getting to know one-another very well," Azula said.

For a moment nobody reacted. And then Hakoda laughed loudly, patting Sokka on the back.

"My son, a dragonslayer and marrying a princess too! I'm so proud, Sokka."

Sokka's mouth stretched in a rictus grin, completely horrified. Kya and Katara glanced between each other before embracing Azula, who stiffened and didn't reciprocate.

"Haha, well, you know me dad. Always got a trick up my sleeve. But can I just have a moment to talk with my, erm, betrothed?" He asked.

He didn't wait for a reply, grabbing the newly freed from her hug Azula by the arm and pulling her into an adjacent room.

"What are you doing?" He whispered furiously.

Azula smirked, unconcerned by his reaction.

"Would you rather they know who I am?" She questioned.

Sokka imagined telling his family that there was a dragon standing in front of them. In his mind, the reactions were hardly good.

"No. I'd rather-" he cut himself off. "Well, this is hardly any better!"

"What's the problem? You're a lucky man, I'm a prospect far above your station. The richest, most powerful and most beautiful woman in the world is offering to marry you, a backwater peasant. You should be on your knees in gratitude." Azula's grin was sharklike.

Sokka didn't feel grateful. But then again, he'd been living with her for weeks and had resigned himself to life as her plaything already. Was being married to her really any worse?

"Ugh. Fine, whatever you want. Just… They'll expect us to stay here, you know? We can't live in that hole in the mountain forever," he told her.

Azula didn't seem bothered by his statement.

"We'll live wherever I deem necessary. I'm certainly not staying in a wooden hut - far too small and flammable," she asserted.

Sokka ran a hand over his face in annoyance. There was no reasoning with a dragon, it seemed. An idea popped into his mind.

"Well, why don't we use some of that gold you've got up there to build, I don't know, a castle or something? I'm sure there's more than enough to buy a big keep or something. Maybe some livestock or something too, stop people getting angry at you eating theirs," he suggested.

The look on Azula's face told him exactly what she thought of the idea of parting with any of her hoard.

"Oh come on! You don't even use it for anything, it just sits there on the floor in a big heap. Do you really want to live in a flipping mountain forever? I'll die up there, there's barely anything to eat," Sokka exclaimed.

Azula's lips pulled back in a snarl, but she eventually shook her head and sighed.

"Fine. If it'll shut you up. But I decided where and how it's built, got it?" She told him.

Relieve, Sokka just nodded and made his way back to his family, who were conversing excitedly about the news.

"Well guys, it's been a long trip down the mountain, you know? I don't suppose there's any dinner?" Sokka asked.

Katara rolled her eyes.

"We haven't seen you in three weeks and yet food is still the first thing on your mind," she remarked.

Kya produced some jerky from the kitchen, which Sokka wolfed down excitedly. Hakoda cleared his throat.

"We should all get some rest, we can talk about the wedding in the morning. Sorry, Princess, we don't have a spare bed. Would you mind sharing with Sokka?"

Her grin was decidedly predatory, golden eyes nearly glowing as she looked at Sooka. He gulped.

"No, I don't think I'll mind at all. Goodnight," she grasped her new beau by the arm, pulling him towards the stairs.

He glanced back at his family helplessly, and they smiled at him with the blissful innocence of the ignorant. It seemed he really was going to be shackled to a draconic shapeshifter for the rest of his life.

'Well, there are worse fates,' he thought, imagining a charred corpse with blackened bones.

Azula threw him down on his bed before straddling his waist. He stared up at her, the animalistic nature of her race clearly visible.

She leaned down to kiss him and he smiled. Far worse fates indeed.


	3. Settled

Celebrations. It seemed like there were so many these days. Celebrating his return (and continued survival), his supposed victory over the man-eating monster of the mountain, and the biggest of all; his marriage.

Sokka had always expected something simple. He'd meet a girl from another village and have a nice, normal marriage ceremony as husband and wife with her family and his to witness it. Then they'd go and live in a house and life would go on as normal for a man and woman.

This turned out to not be the case. His bride to be was a Princess (and more, though that part was undisclosed), there were standards to maintain.

Never mind that she couldn't really say where she was a princess of, or where her family where. Claiming to be an orphan and offering up a crown seemed to satisfy anyone who asked.

So instead of his regular marriage, he got an elaborate, ostentatious festival of some kind. It wasn't terrible, he had supposed. People seemed happy to get involved, there was plenty of food and he wasn't required to do much beyond standing there.

Hakoda managed to wrangle a large group to retrieve the treasure from the mountain. The men had been mystified by the lack of draconic corpses, but Sokka had simply shrugged, telling them it must have been magic. They had no better explanations, and were more interested in the golden hoard anyway.

They used the riches to purchase the services of builders and other craftsmen. It had taken them many months to build the castle the couple had requested. Quite often they'd received questions regarding the sheer size of the building, but Sokka always managed to deflect them towards Azula.

They stopped after that. People loved and feared the Princess in equal measure, admiring and apprehensive all at once. Perhaps it was her otherworldly looks, exotic and ethereal. It may have been her curt, dismissive nature. Possibly it was her chilling, inhuman stare. Either way, nobody bothered her when they could help it.

The hardest part of it was obtaining a herd of yaks for Azula. The dragon was loath to part with her favoured food source, and so Sokka sought to domesticate them for her.

Fortunately, a travelling nomad came by not long after the keep was built. He was a slight young man who had tamed a similar beast in the South, and rode it like a horse.

By chance, Sokka introduced her to his sister Katara, and then immediately regretted it when he saw the looks on the pair's faces. They had clearly forgotten he existed, despite being right next to each other.

It was only after Azula pointed out their need that he had the idea to use this new connection in his favour. It was easy enough to ask for his help, the little bald monk seemed especially friendly.

He corralled a few of the mountain-dwelling cows for them, under the belief that they would be used for milking (the man was a vegetarian, and Sokka could hardly tell him their real purpose as dragon food.)

In gratitude, Sokka gifted him with some of their wealth after the nomad told him of his plans to build some sort of temple. He'd grumbled a bit under his breath when he thought about what exactly would happen to his sister should the monk stay in the area. And was not surprised later on when the two were found in a rather intimate embrace.

Sadly his constant expenditures had some unpleasant results. Not that he was low on funds, but Azula got more and more displeased with every spent coin.

Eventually it had boiled over, and he had narrowly avoided being burnt to a crisp. She'd taken several days to calm down, smoke wisping from her nostrils even in human form.

But after a year and a half they were finally done. Their home was complete, their coupling finalised and their future ahead of them.

* * *

There was a sound. It was loud and high-pitched and seemed to go on forever. Like a hot knife through butter it seemed to pierce the veil of warm comfort that surrounded Sokka's mind, jolting him out of his dreams.

His eyes opened, staring up into the shadows. Annoyance flashed through him - what right did the sound have to take his sleep from him? Was he not the lord and master of his castle?

Well, to be truthful… no, he wasn't. He might own the lands in name, but he was not foolish enough to think they were actually his. Instead, they belonged to a far greater power than he.

There was movement beside him, a soft groan adding to the consistent noise. A hand crawled over the bare skin of his arm before suddenly curling around it. And then the sharp nails began to dig into his flesh.

"Sokka," Azula's voice was weary and he strained to hear it. "Go."

He blinked, staring at her in the candlelight. He could hardly tell his wife was awake, she was so still. Perhaps she wasn't. Or maybe he wasn't, and this was a dream. That would be nice.

An increase in pain told him he wasn't dreaming, and that Azula was getting impatient. Sighing to himself, he pulled free of her clutches. Running a hand through his limp, unrestrained hair he snatched up his clothes.

In a moment he was dressed and ready, stepping out of his bedroom to find the source of the noise. He didn't have to go far, only a few steps down the hall. It lay behind a door, and Sokka couldn't help but frown at it.

Shaking his head, he pushed it open. For a moment, the noise intensified, before suddenly cutting off. As he crossed into the room eyes stared at him, almost glowing in the dark.

He edged closer and closer, feeling his way through the darkness as he searched for a candle to light the room. His hands grasped air for a moment, until he finally brushed against the wax. Reaching into his pocket, he produced a flake of flint and piece of steel. For a moment he envied his wife her ability to conjure fire at her fingertips.

After a few strikes the fire burst into life, the candle lighting the room reasonably well. He turned to the side, and was greeted with a happy burble.

Smiling proudly, Sokka went to his son's crib, gently pulling him from the wooden cage and cradling the baby in his arms. The newborn continued to make unintelligible noises, reaching out to swat at his father's nose.

It had been a fear of Sokka's that his offspring would turn out less than normal. After all, their mother wasn't entirely human. Visions had danced through his head of scaly monsters, abominations of mixed human and dragon appearances. He'd even thought, for a time, that Azula might give birth to eggs.

Thankfully none of his paranoid nightmares had come true. His child was healthy, normal and a dead-ringer for him with his dark skin and deep blue eyes.

Admittedly, he had also inherited some of his mother's features - including her slit pupils. It was too early to tell if he would also gain her pointed teeth, but Sokka hoped not. He'd heard babies chewed on things normally, how much worse would it be with sharp, flesh-tearing fangs?

But even if he did, Sokka would love the child all the same. Joy and contentment coursed through his entire being as he gazed down at the tiny, squishy thing he held. It was hard to believe he had been responsible, even in part, for creating another human.

The creak of wooden floorboards behind him alerted Sokka to another presence, before warm arms draped themselves over his shoulders. He turned his head, smiling at his wife before she captured his lips in a light kiss.

Privately, Sokka was overjoyed at how she had mellowed after her pregnancy, especially considering how she'd been in a constant state of aggression during it. But now affection came easier to her, seeking comfort from him was more normal.

Yunqi's eyes widened at his mother's appearance, and he reached out with his fat, stubby arms. Azula smoothly plucked him from his father's grasp, easing him gently to her breast. The infant fed noisily. Sokka ran a hand atop his child's head, feeling the downy dark hair.

"I am so glad that I am insane, you know?" Sokka began.

Azula glanced at him quizzically.

"I am. if I hadn't had that crazy idea to go and fight a dragon, none of this would have happened. And that would suck. I wouldn't have a beautiful wife, an amazing house and an adorable son. I'd just be… ordinary,"

Rolling her eyes, Azula snorted.

"You are ordinary. And so very lucky that I decided not to eat you. I thought about it several times, generally when you were talking."

Sokka wasn't swayed by her threats.

"Didn't I tell you most people prefer it when I don't talk? Don't blame me, you coulda let me go. But I'm glad you didn't."

Patting her baby on the back, Azula nodded, a soft look in her eyes.

"So am I."

* * *

"Uncle! Uncle, tell me a story!" Zhiba insisted.

Sokka laughed, ruffling the young girl's braided hair. She scowled at him, but remained bouncing in place.

"Okay, okay. A story, huh? As it so happens, I know a story. It's just your kind of thing, about princesses and knights and dragons. That sound interesting?"

The girl's grey eyes widened and she nodded excitedly, scrambling to sit down before her uncle.

"Azula, go and get the other kids will you?" Sokka asked.

The dragon rolled her golden eyes but nodded, putting down her fork and disappearing into another room. After a minute she returned with several children of varying ages in tow.

They crowed and called at each other excitedly, the ones with slit pupils seeming even more boisterous than their normal cousins. Eventually they aligned themselves in a circle around the storyteller. The youngest, a pale, golden-eyed toddler crawled to her father, climbing up into his lap.

He held her in place with an arm as he surveyed the assorted congregation. In the background he could see his sister and brother-in-law conversing and beckoned them over. When everyone was seated, he began his tale.

"On a snow-capped mountain, several hundred feet up a jagged, treacherous path there was a hidden cave…"


End file.
